As such the quilt, like depression, is messy. It doesn't have square edges and it doesn't lie flat. The text itself is depicted as sort of a 'blah, blah, blah' droning on in an endless, flat fashion. In the midst of the quilt is a deep, black hole, and from it there are lots of people struggling to escape...Out of the Blue. Those numbers are important, because although depression is a dark and lonely place, the prevalence of people suffering depression is staggering. And, while you are in that deep, dark place, you are unable to see that you are not alone, in large part because of the silence that still surrounds this disorder. The quilt hangs from a rough piece of driftwood that has somewhat harsh, broken ends.
So, yes...I'm putting it out there. To quote a friend, I'm putting on my big girl panties and I sharing this art quilt and the meaning behind it because the message needs to be shared. As Clara Hughes says as the spokesperson for Bell's National campaign, LET'S TALK!
I've included a bit of information from the Depression Hurts website:
During their lifetime about 1 in 10 people in Canada will experience an episode of major depressive disorder (the diagnosis given to those suffering from depression) 5
Unfortunately many people, unaware of how common depression is, avoid seeking treatment because they worry what others will think of them. They feel like they’re the only ones. Depression is in fact a widespread medical condition:6,7
- Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide6
